According to Mullins, Buzzards Bay will have his final pre-Run for the Roses workout next Monday before departing for Kentucky on Wednesday, May 4. He's scheduled to visit the Churchill Downs main track three times before the 1 1/4-mile classic race, including on Derby morning. Mullins said that, unlike most trainers with Derby hopefuls, he hasn't been paying much attention to the probable field, preferring to stay focused on his own charge."That just gives (other trainers) more to worry about," Mullins said. "I'm just concentrating on getting him ready and leading him over," Mullins said. "The main thing is that they're head and head until the gate opens. And the best horse doesn't always win."Buzzards Bay, who was purchased privately by his current owners late last year, is a son of Marco Bay bred in Florida by Jay Shaw.
Fog City Stables' Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Buzzards Bay worked six furlongs in 1:12 over Santa Anita's fast main track Monday morning under regular jockey Mark Guidry. The move, which was the sixth-fastest of 19 who went three-quarters of a mile on the morning, was the chestnut's second since earning his biggest career victory in his last race April 9."He seems to be improving every day," trainer Jeff Mullins said. "The thing is, and what most people don't realize is that he hasn't run a whole lot."Buzzards Bay has started four times as a sophomore and won twice, capturing the aforementioned Santa Anita Derby as well as the Golden Gate Derby in early January. He's won three of 8 races overall with a second and three thirds, for earnings of $559,440.